Float-sinker

ABSTRACT

A float-sinker for mounting to a fishing line and including a float chamber having water passages for flooding the float chamber. The lower end of a vent tube projecting through the upper portion of the float chamber determines the level to which water can rise in the float chamber. After the float-sinker is cast, water enters the float chamber and the float-sinker slowly sinks toward the bottom with the associated hooks, bait, and the like. Upon withdrawal of the float-sinker from the water, the water remaining in the float chamber provides additional weight to aid in casting. The float-sinker may be fixed to the line or slidable thereon within certain limits.

United States Patent [151 3,698,120 Grogan 51 Oct. 17, 1972 FLOAT-SINKER1,036,232 4/1953 France ..43/43.l4 [72] Inventor: Daniel R. Grogan, 705West 39th Street San Pedro Calif 90731 Exammehsamiel Asszstan!Examiner-Daniel .l. Leach [22] Filed: Nov. 16, 1970 Attorney-Fulwider,Patton, Rieber, Lee & Utecht A float-sinker for mounting to a fishingline and in- [52] U.S. Cl ..43/43.14,43/44.87 l di a fl at chamberhaving; water passages for [51] Int. Cl. ..A0lk 93/00, AOlk 95/00flooding the float chamber. The lower end of 'a vent [58] Field ofSearch ..43/43.l4, 44.87 tube projecting through the upper portion ofthe float chamber determines the level to which water can rise 5References Cited in the float chamber. After the float-sinker is cast,water enters the float chamber and the float-sinker UNITED STATESPATENTS slowly sinks toward the bottom with the associated hooks, bait,and the like. Upon withdrawal of the 3,01 1,285 12/1961 Musser..43/44.87 float sinker from the water the water remaining in the2,763,088 9/1956 Cowsert ..43/43.l4 float chamber provides additionalweight to aid in Claybrook casting The floabsinke may be fixed to theline or 3,012,359 12/ 1961 Foster ..43/43. 14 lid bl thereon withincertain limits.

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 12 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDnm17 I972 INVENTOR. DAN/EL E. Gecqmv flrme/v'ns FLOAT-SINKER 1. Field ofthe Invention The present invention relates to a fishing line float, andmore particularly to a fishing line float having variable buoyancy.

2. Description of the Prior Art Most fishing line float-sinkercombinations comprise a buoyant float attached to the fishing line forcasting with a separately attached sinker, hook and bait. The sinkerimmediately sinks to a depth which is determined by the amount of linebetween the hook and the float, and the float maintains the hook at thatdepth. This technique is undesirable in that the sinker rapidly carriesthe hook and bait down to the depth established by the location of thefloat, and the intermediate levels or strata of water are not fished.Preferably, the bait should slowly sink through all levels of water sothat any fish in the various levels will have an opportunity to take thebait. Moreover, if a bad cast places the sinker in an improper location,there is little or no opportunity for the fisherman to correct theplacement by reeling in the line, because the sinker usually reaches thebottom so rapidly that reeling in the line presents the danger ofsnagging the line on underwater obstacles.

SUMMARY According to the present invention, a float-sinker is providedwhich comprises a body having a float chamber with oneor more waterpassages opening into the chamber so that the chamber can be floodedwhen the float-sinker is cast upon the surface of a'body of water. Thebuoyancy of the body is affected by the amount of water entering thefloat chamber and this in turn is controlled by a vent tube whichprojects into the upper portion of the float chamber, the air in thefloat chamber venting through the tube. With this arrangement the waterlevel rises no higher than the lower end of the vent tube. Consequently,when the fisherman casts his line with the float-sinker mounted to it,the float-sinker will slowly fill with water and, depending upon thedegree of projection of the vent tube into the float chamber, witheither float in an upright position or slowly sink to the bottom untilthe sinker attached to the fishing line reaches the bottom. The hook andbait are normally located on the line between the sinker and the floatand will therefore be disposed at any predetermined level. With thisarrangement the slow rate of filling of the float-sinker allows thefisherman to correct a bad cast by reeling in or moving the fishing lineuntil the float-sinker and its associated hook and bait are betterlocated for a strike. In addition, the slow sinking of the float-sinkerthrough the various strata of water allows fish in any of these stratato strike the bait as it sinks downwardly.

The means for mounting the float-sinker to the fishing line include onearrangement whereby the fishing line is fixed to the float-sinker sothat there is no relative movement between the two, and anotherarrangement in which a stop is attached to the fishing line, and thefishing line is slidably mounted to the float-sinker so that thefloat-sinker moves relative to the line until it reaches the stop,whereby the float-sinker can slide upwardly relative to the line untilit reaches some desired point, such as immediately adjacent the pointwhere the hook or hooks are attached.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent fromconsideration of the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of afloat-sinker according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of the float-sinker ofFIG. 1 immersed in water;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of the float-sinker ofFIG. 2, but showingthe water entrapped in the float-sinker when it iswithdrawn from the water after a cast;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross sectional view similar to that of FIG. 2,but illustrating to that of the vent tube moved inwardly into the floatchamber to increase the buoyancy of the float-sinker to an extent suchthat it floats upon the surface of the water;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal cross sectional view of the linemounting plug of the float-sinker of FIG. 2, illustrating one linemounting arrangement; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged longitudinal cross sectional view of the linemounting plug of FIG. 5, but taken at right angles thereto to showanother line mounting arrangement.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREF ERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings,and particularly to FIGS. 1-5, there is illustrated a float-sinker 10which is preferably made of transparent plastic material so that it isnot easily seen by fish. It includes a two-part, eggshape body 12 havinga hollow interior which defines a float chamber 14. The body 12 could bemade in other shapes, such as a ball or teardrop, if desired, and itcould also be made of one piece construction. The lower part of the body12 includes: openings to the exterior which constitute water passages 16to permit water to enter the chamber 14 when the body 12 is cast uponthe water. As will be seen, the weight of the sinker (not shown) usuallyused in this type of fishing disposes the float-sinker 10 in an uprightposition when it is cast upon the water so that the water passages 16are located below the water surface to permit water to enter and floodthe chamber 14.

The two parts of the body 12 sleeve together at 18, and theiroverlapping margins are coated with a suitable adhesive or solvent toadhere the two parts together in fluid tight relation.

The portion of the body 12 includes a circular, relatively large centralopening 20 which slidably receives an elongated control or vent tube 22having a venting passage 23. The tube 22 is made of a resilient plasticmaterial to have a slight amount of flex to it. This allows the diameterof the opening 20 to be made slightly smaller than the outside diameterof the tube 22, and the tube walls will flex inwardly enough to allowinsertion of the tube 22 into the opening 20. The fit between the tube22 and the margin defining the opening 20 is then sufficiently snug thatalthough the tube 22 can be forcibly moved inwardly and outwardly of thebody 12 by pushing and pulling on it, an air tight seal is provided toprevent air from escaping and the axial position of the tube tends tostay the same. The top of the tube 22 includes an integral flange 24 tofacilitate gripping the tube 22 for movement in and out of the body 12.

As best viewed in FlG. 2, the location of the lower end of the vent tube22 determines the level 26 to which the float chamber 14 can be floodedwith water, which in turn determines the negative buoyancy of thefloat-sinker 10 and rapidity of sinking. Consequently, by pulling out orpushing in the tube 22 relative to the body 12, the sinking character ofthe float-sinker 10 can be adjusted.

When the fisherman has determined what location of the vent tube 22gives him the best results, he can always relocate the tube 22 in thisposition by referring to indicia on the tube. As shown in FIG. 1, suchindicia takes the form of a plurality of short diagonal lines 27 whichare axially spaced along the length of the tube. Although not shown,numerals can be placed adjacent the lines 27 at suitable intervals tofacilitate the proper location of the tube 22 relative to the margin ofthe opening 20. The lines 27 are merely exemplary and any suitableindicia can be used for this purpose, as will be apparent.

The fishing line, a portion of which is shown at 28, is mounted to thefloat-sinker 10 by an elongated wedge or plug 30 having a circular crosssection and characterized by a taper of decreasing cross section fromits outer to its inner end, as best seen in FIGS. and 6. The taperenables the plug 30 to be removably wedged within a central, circularopening or seat 32 provided in the lower portion of the body 12. Theplug 30 includes a reduced diameter portion or circumferential groove 34which receives the seat 32 in snug relation.

As best seen in FIGS. 5-6, the upper extremity of the plug 30 includes adiametrical, axially extending slot 36 whose inward terminus or base 38is located externally of the seat 32 when the plug 30 is mounted inoperative position upon the body 12. The base 38 is inclined or slanteddownwardly from the reel side to the weighted or sinker side of the line28, as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 5, at an angle of approximately 45. Thiseliminates sharp bends in the line and enables the weight of the sinkerto more easily slide the line 28 downwardly without pulling thefloat-sinker downwardly with it, as will be discussed later.

The diameter of the plug 30 above the groove 34 is larger than thediameter of the seat 32, and the presence of the slot 36 enables theupper extremity of the plug 30 to be compressed to enable it to bewedged into the body 12 until the groove 34 receives the margin of theopening or seat 32. The transparent plastic material of which the plug30 is preferably made is sufficiently resilient that the upper extremityof the plug 30 springs back to its undeformed configuration once thegroove 34 is aligned with the seat 32. This provides a snug fit and alsosecurely prevents the plug 30 from being inadvertently pulled out of theseat 32, such as when a strain is taken on the fishing line 28.

The slot 36 is made sufficiently wide that the largest of the popularsizes of fishing lines will easily slide through it, but narrow or smallenough that by tying one or more knots in the line, the knot will beable to act as a stop means to prevent relative movement of thefloat-sinker 10 past some predetermined point on the fishing line 28.Alternatively, a small bead (not shown) like the conventional split shotweights which are frequently used as sinkers, can be attached to theline 28 to perform the same function. Another way of providing a stop inthe line, and which avoids possible weakening of the line caused bytying knots in the line itself, is to take a short piece of line, knotit on the fishing line 28, and cut off the excess length.

The sliding action of the line 28 through the slot 36 can be improved byplacing a smooth-surfaced metal insert (not shown) at the base of theslot 36. Alternatively, the surfaces of the slot 36 could be coated witha friction reducing material such as tetrafluoroethylene or the like.

Rather than mounting the line 28 so it is slidable relative to the plug30, it can be fixed relative to the plug 30 if desired, thereby fixedlylocating the body 12 relative to some predetermined point on the line28. As best seen in FIGS 5-6, the upper extremity of the plug 30 alsoincludes a second groove or slit 40 disposed transversely of the slot 36and extending only a short distance so that it is located internally ofthe seat 32 when the plug 30 is mounted in position upon the body 12.The base of the slit 40 narrows to provide a wedging action so that theline 28 can be wedged in position and held while the plug 30 is beinginserted into the seat 32. Because the base of the slit 40 is locatedinwardly of the seat 32, the line 28 is wedged between the plug 30 andthe margin of the seat 32 when the plug 30 is in position on the body12. I

In operation, the line 28 is placed either in the slot 36 for a slidablearrangement, or in the groove 40 for a fixed arrangement. If the formeris selected, a knot or stop is placed in the line 28 somewhere above thebaited hook, as desired. If the fixed arrangement is chosen, the line 28is placed in the groove 40 about where the stop would have been placedif the slidable arrangement had been selected. In either case, the lineis mounted to the plug 30 and the plug is then wedged in seated positionupon the seat 32. The float-sinker l0 and its associated baited hook andsinker are then cast onto the water.

Water begins to relatively slowly enter the float chamber 14 through thewater passages 16 as air escapes through the central venting passage 23of the vent tube 22. Water will flood into the float chamber 14 until itreaches the level 26 shown in FIG. 2, as dictated by the location of thelower end of the vent tube 22. During the relatively slow flooding ofthe chamber 14 the fisherman has time to drag his line to the exactpoint that he wishes, which is particularly desirable where the cast wasfar off target. The time that it takes the float chamber 14 to fill canbe adjusted by providing more or larger passages 16, as will beapparent.

As previously indicated, the tube 22 can be pushed in or pulled out ofthe float chamber 14 to control the amount of air trapped in the chamberso that the floatsinker 10 can be made to slowly sink to the bottom andthereby slowly cover all levels or strata of the body of water thatmight contain fish. The slow sinking rate of the bait is believed to bemore attractive to the fish. Preferably the vent tube 22 is adjusted sothat after the sinker reaches the bottom the float-sinker 10 will bebuoyant enough to hold the baited hook above any vegetation on thebottom. If desired, the vent tube 22 could be pulled outwardly so thatalmost all of the chamber 14 is flooded with water, in which case thefloat-sinker 10 would have a negative buoyancy and serve as a sinkeritself. In the event that the fisherman wishes to have the float-sinker10 serve purely as a float on the surface of the water, such positivebuoyancy is easily provided by simply probing the tube 22 in as shown inFIG. 4.

The line mounting arrangement of FIG. 5 is advantageous because itreduces the amount of line 28 between the sinker and the float-sinker oncasting. This makes it easier tocast and yet, once the floatsinker 10 iscast, it can slide on the line 28 away from the sinker side of the lineto any desired extent, as determined by the location of the stop meanson the line.

When the float-sinker 10 is withdrawn from the water for recasting, thefloat-sinker 10 will be inverted as seen in FIG. 3. A certain amount ofwater will be trapped in the float chamber 14 because of its inabilityto flow out of the now upwardly located water passages 16. This givesthe float-sinker 10 additional weight, which aids in casting it greaterdistances.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the floatsinker 10 can beused as either a float or a sinker. It allows the baited hook to sink ata slower and more natural rate, and permits all levels of the body ofwater to be fished during such drinking. Once the sinker rests upon thebottom, the float-sinker 10 is adapted to hold the baited hook up andout of bottom vegetation that might otherwise obscure it.

The filling rate and buoyancy of the float-sinker is easily adjusted toaccommodate various weights of sinker, bait and hooks by adjusting theposition of the vent tube 22. The mounting plug 30 provides a simple andeasy means for attaching the float-sinker to the fishing line in eitherfixed or slidable mounting arrange ments, and the combination of thefloat chamber 14 and vent tube 22 provides for water entrapment so thaton recasting the fisherman can cast a greater distance. The slow fillingrate of the float-sinker 10 allows the fisherman to overcast, and thendrag the line directly over thespot where he wishes it to sink.

In the foregoing description the float-sinker 10 was maintained in anupright position on striking the water by a conventional sinker (notshown) attached to the fishing line 28 below the float-sinker 10.However, if desired, this same result could be obtained by altering thecenter of gravity of the float-sinker 10 itself. For example, the bottomof the float-sinker 10 could be made extra thick, extra weight could beplaced in the bottom of the float-sinker 10, or the plug 30 could bemade heavier by weighting it, enlarging its diameter, or lengthening it.One or all of these alternatives could be used to properly orient thefloat-sinker 10 so that the passages 16 can allow water to flood thefloat-sinker 10.

Various modifications and changes may be made with regard to theforegoing detailed description without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

I claim:

1. A float-sinker adapted for mounting to a fishing line, saidfloat-sinker comprising:

body means including a float chamber and a normally open water passageopening into said chamber from the exterior of said body means wherebywater can flow into said chamber at any time upon immersion of said bodymeans in water;

and control means on said body means and including a vent portionprojecting into said chamber and defining a normally open vent passageopening into said chamber from the exterior of said body means wherebythe location of the opening in said vent passage determines the level towhich water may rise in said chamber to thereby establish the relativebuoyancy of said float-sinker.

2. A float-sinker according to claim 1 wherein said vent portionprojects downwardly into said chamber through the upper portion of saidchamber, and said water passage opens into the lower portion of saidchamber.

3. A float-sinker according to claim 2 wherein said vent portion isadjustably movable inwardly and outwardly of said chamber whereby saidlevel of water may be adjusted thereby to adjust said relative buoyancy.

4. A float-sinker according to claim 3 and including an enlarged portionon said vent portion to facilitate gripping said vent portion and toform a stop to limit inward movement of said vent portion.

5. A float-sinker according to claim 3 wherein said vent portioncomprises a tube projecting downwardly into said chamber through theupper portion of said chamber.

6. A float-sinker according to claim 5 wherein said tube includesindicia displaying the extent of projection of said tube into saidchamber.

7. A float-sinker according to claim 1 and including fishing linemounting means carried at the bottom of said body means, said mountingmeans including a line opening for slidably receiving a fishing line,said line opening including stop means adapted for engagement with astop on said line to locate said float-sinker relative to said line.

8. A float-sinker according to claim 7 wherein said body means includesa seat opening, said mounting means comprises a plug having a peripheralgroove removably receiving the margin of said seat opening, and saidline opening comprises a slot in said plug, the base of said slot beinglocated externally of said seat opening.

9. A float-sinker according to claim 8 wherein said base slopesdownwardly in the direction of the hook end of said line.

10. A float-sinker according to claim 1 wherein the bottom of said bodymeans includes a seat opening, and including fishing line mounting meanscomprising a plug removably wedged in said seat opening and having aline receiving slot, the base of said slot being located internally ofsaid opening whereby a fishing line disposed in said slot can be wedgedbetween said plug and said seat opening to prevent movement of thefloatsinker along said fishing line.

1 l. A float-sinker according to claim 10 wherein said base of said slotis V-shape to wedgably receive said fishing line therein.

12. A float-sinker according to claim 1 wherein the center of gravity ofsaid float-sinker is located to place said water passage below the watersurface when the float-sinker is cast upon the water.

1. A float-sinker adapted for mounting to a fishing line, saidfloat-sinker comprising: body means including a float chamber and anormally open water passage opening into said chamber from the exteriorof said body means whereby water can flow into said chamber at any timeupon immersion of said body means in water; and control means on saidbody means and including a vent portion projecting into said chamber anddefining a normally open vent passage opening into said chamber from theexterior of said body means whereby the location of the opening in saidvent passage determines the level to which water may rise in saidchamber to thereby establish the relative buoyancy of said float-sinker.2. A float-sinker according to claim 1 wherein said vent portionprojects downwardly into said chamber through the upper portion of saidchamber, and said water passage opens into the lower portion of saidchamber.
 3. A float-sinker according to claim 2 wherein said ventportion is adjustably movable inwardly and outwardly of said chamberwhereby said level of water may be adjusted thereby to adjust saidrelative buoyancy.
 4. A float-sinker according to claim 3 and includingan enlarged portion on said vent portion to facilitate gripping saidvent portion and to form a stop to limit inward movement of said ventportion.
 5. A float-sinker according to claim 3 wherein said ventportion comprises a tube projecting downwardly into said chamber throughthe upper portion of said chamber.
 6. A float-sinker according to claim5 wherein said tube includes indicia displaying the extent of projectionof said tube into said chamber.
 7. A float-sinker according to claim 1and including fishing line mounting means carried at the bottom of saidbody means, said mounting means including a line opening for slidablyreceiving a fishing line, said line opening including stop means adaptedfor engagement with a stop on said line to locate said float-sinkerrelative to said line.
 8. A float-sinker according to claim 7 whereinsaid body means includes a seat opening, said mounting means comprises aplug having a peripheral groove removably receiving the margin of saidseat opening, and said line opening comprises a slot in said plug, thebase of said slot being located externally of said seat opening.
 9. Afloat-sinkeR according to claim 8 wherein said base slopes downwardly inthe direction of the hook end of said line.
 10. A float-sinker accordingto claim 1 wherein the bottom of said body means includes a seatopening, and including fishing line mounting means comprising a plugremovably wedged in said seat opening and having a line receiving slot,the base of said slot being located internally of said opening whereby afishing line disposed in said slot can be wedged between said plug andsaid seat opening to prevent movement of the float-sinker along saidfishing line.
 11. A float-sinker according to claim 10 wherein said baseof said slot is V-shape to wedgably receive said fishing line therein.12. A float-sinker according to claim 1 wherein the center of gravity ofsaid float-sinker is located to place said water passage below the watersurface when the float-sinker is cast upon the water.